Last visit was: 23 Apr 2026, 15:34 It is currently 23 Apr 2026, 15:34
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
shivanigs
Joined: 27 Apr 2012
Last visit: 17 Aug 2016
Posts: 55
Own Kudos:
251
 [10]
Given Kudos: 21
Location: United States
GMAT Date: 06-11-2013
GPA: 3.5
WE:Marketing (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Posts: 55
Kudos: 251
 [10]
Kudos
Add Kudos
10
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,785
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,853
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,785
Kudos: 810,861
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
EvaJager
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 31 Aug 2016
Posts: 513
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
WE:Science (Education)
Posts: 513
Kudos: 2,370
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
shivanigs
Joined: 27 Apr 2012
Last visit: 17 Aug 2016
Posts: 55
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 21
Location: United States
GMAT Date: 06-11-2013
GPA: 3.5
WE:Marketing (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Posts: 55
Kudos: 251
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Thanks Bunuel! Silly question but i will still ask.How can we be sure that Q is also an integer? We have not been given any info on Q.
User avatar
EvaJager
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 31 Aug 2016
Posts: 513
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
WE:Science (Education)
Posts: 513
Kudos: 2,370
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shivanigs
Thanks Bunuel! Silly question but i will still ask.How can we be sure that Q is also an integer? We have not been given any info on Q.

No need for Q to be an integer. Since P = 1, it comes out that Q = 0 (from \(P^2+Q^2=1\)).
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,785
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,853
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,785
Kudos: 810,861
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shivanigs
Thanks Bunuel! Silly question but i will still ask.How can we be sure that Q is also an integer? We have not been given any info on Q.

Do you mean for (2)? Here, since we determined that P=1 we can solve P^2+Q^2=1 to get the value of Q: 1^2+Q^2=1 --> Q=0.

EvaJager
Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

Should be P - Q, but this doesn't really change anything in the answer.
After you correct your post, you can erase mine.

If the first statement were P-Q=1, then it would be sufficient, since that's exactly what we are asked - to find whether P-Q=1.
User avatar
EvaJager
Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Last visit: 31 Aug 2016
Posts: 513
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 43
WE:Science (Education)
Posts: 513
Kudos: 2,370
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
shivanigs
Thanks Bunuel! Silly question but i will still ask.How can we be sure that Q is also an integer? We have not been given any info on Q.

Do you mean for (2)? Here, since we determined that P=1 we can solve P^2+Q^2=1 to get the value of Q: 1^2+Q^2=1 --> Q=0.

EvaJager
Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

Should be P - Q, but this doesn't really change anything in the answer.
After you correct your post, you can erase mine.

If the first statement were P-Q=1, then it would be sufficient, since that's exactly what we are asked - to find whether P-Q=1.

OMG...I'm an astronaut today...
avatar
shubhamsmartguy
Joined: 17 Dec 2012
Last visit: 28 Oct 2016
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 13
Concentration: Marketing, Strategy
Schools: Darden '14
GPA: 3.6
WE:Analyst (Telecommunications)
Schools: Darden '14
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
EvaJager
shivanigs
Thanks Bunuel! Silly question but i will still ask.How can we be sure that Q is also an integer? We have not been given any info on Q.

No need for Q to be an integer. Since P = 1, it comes out that Q = 0 (from \(P^2+Q^2=1\)).

hi,
not sure, if iota (i) concept can be applied in here ..

i thought, in verifying S2,
P=2, Q^2=-3, Q=sqrt3 * iota
so, in this case also, p^2+Q^2=1
avatar
neeraj609
Joined: 07 May 2015
Last visit: 11 Mar 2017
Posts: 59
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 6
Posts: 59
Kudos: 22
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi Bunuel

Can you please tell me why A cant be sufficient using below approach?

Given P^2 + Q^2 = 1.

P-Q = 1 => SQUARING BOTH SIDES => P^2 + Q^2 -2PQ = 1
=> 1 -2PQ = 1 (SUBSTITUTING THE VALUE OF P^2 + Q^2)
=> PQ = 0
So our question becomes whether one of p or q is zero?

Now looking at A :

P+Q = 1 => Squaring both sides => P^2 + Q^2 + 2PQ = 1 => 1+2PQ = 1 ( SUBSTITUTING THE VALUE OF P^2 + Q^2)
=> PQ = 0
So this should be sufficient right?

Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,785
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,853
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,785
Kudos: 810,861
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
neeraj609
Hi Bunuel

Can you please tell me why A cant be sufficient using below approach?

Given P^2 + Q^2 = 1.

P-Q = 1 => SQUARING BOTH SIDES => P^2 + Q^2 -2PQ = 1
=> 1 -2PQ = 1 (SUBSTITUTING THE VALUE OF P^2 + Q^2)
=> PQ = 0
So our question becomes whether one of p or q is zero?

Now looking at A :

P+Q = 1 => Squaring both sides => P^2 + Q^2 + 2PQ = 1 => 1+2PQ = 1 ( SUBSTITUTING THE VALUE OF P^2 + Q^2)
=> PQ = 0
So this should be sufficient right?

Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

You cannot square. If p - q = -1, then (p - q)^2 would be equal to 1^2 but p - q = -1 is not equal to 1.
avatar
Anuragjn
Joined: 28 Jan 2019
Last visit: 27 Jan 2021
Posts: 21
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 360
Location: India
Concentration: Leadership, Strategy
Posts: 21
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

Hi, Any reason why we shouldn't rephrase the question ?

P-Q=1? => squaring both the sides => p^2+q^2-2pq=1 => since P^2 +Q^2 =1 => 2pq=0 => pq =0 ?????
avatar
NiravUmaretiya
Joined: 03 Feb 2020
Last visit: 22 May 2021
Posts: 11
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 22
Posts: 11
Kudos: 5
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
[quote="Bunuel"]If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

Why not the following reasoning?
P+Q=1
So, P=1-Q ... ... (a)

and, P^2 + Q^2 =1
So, P^2 = 1 - Q^2
So, P^2 = (1+Q)(1-Q)
So, P^2 = (1+Q)(P) ... ... apply eq. (a)
So, P = 1+Q
So, P-Q = 1
[Sufficient, Ans : D]
avatar
iridescent995
Joined: 27 Jun 2021
Last visit: 02 Sep 2022
Posts: 34
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 89
Posts: 34
Kudos: 17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

Q can be imaginary number Q^2 = -1,
Does GMAT don't consider imaginary numbers?

Ambiguous question

The answer should be C
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,785
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,853
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,785
Kudos: 810,861
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
iridescent995
Bunuel
If P^2 + Q^2 =1, is P – Q =1?

(1) P + Q = 1 --> if P=1 and Q=0, then the answer is YES but if P=0 and Q=1, then the answer is NO. Not sufficient.

(2) P is a positive integer --> since P is a positive integer, then from P^2+Q^2=1 we'll have that P can only be 1 (if P is an integer more than 1, then P^2+Q^2>1). Now, if P=1 then Q=0 (again from P^2+Q^2=1), hence the answer whether P-Q=1 is YES. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

Q can be imaginary number Q^2 = -1,
Does GMAT don't consider imaginary numbers?

Ambiguous question

The answer should be C

B is correct. All numbers on the GMAT are real numbers by default.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109785 posts
498 posts
212 posts